HRANA – HRA’s Statistics Department has released its monthly report for November 2024, highlighting ongoing human rights violations across Iran. This month, 135 individuals were executed, comprising 127 men, 4 women, and 1 juvenile offender, including 11 Afghan citizen. Alongside these executions, 37 individuals were sentenced to death, underscoring a persistent use of capital punishment in Iran, often for offenses that do not meet international standards, notably drug-related crimes. 68 people were executed for drug-related offenses this month, a practice starkly contradicting the right to life as articulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Freedom of expression remains severely curtailed, with 55 individuals arrested in relation to this issue during November. Among them was Mojtaba Rahimi, a journalist at Arman Imroz newspaper, who was fined 6,600,000 Tomans on charges of “publishing falsehoods with the aim of disturbing the public mind.” Additionally, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced eight political prisoners to severe penalties, including six death sentences, long prison terms, and exile. Charges included rebellion, treason, and collusion against national security. These arrests and convictions reflect Iran’s continuing crackdown on dissent and freedom of expression.

Prison conditions remain dire and continue to be a place of serious human rights violations, with reports of 30 cases of medical neglect and significant delays in judicial processes. 34 cases of incommunicado detention left families in the dark about prisoners’ fates due to a lack of contact. Furthermore, 47 prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement, 9 prisoners had no access to a lawyer, and 5 went on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions. Rahleh Rahmipour, a 72-year-old civil activist imprisoned in Evin Prison, faces severe health challenges, including a growing brain tumor, heart disease, diabetes, and cataracts, yet remains denied specialized medical care. Similarly, Ruhollah Khosravi, detained for over 15 months without trial, suffered physical abuse after protesting prison conditions and was transferred to solitary confinement. These cases exemplify the systemic neglect and mistreatment of detainees in Iranian prisons.

Women’s rights violations persist under Iran’s restrictive social and legal policies. This month, 12 women were killed due to domestic violence, and 4 women were arrested for hijab violations. In one case, a woman was attacked by her husband with a pickaxe and later succumbed to her injuries. In another incident, a woman was stabbed to death by her son. Additionally, compulsory hijab enforcement continues to target women for “improper dress.” On November 2, 2024, at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University, a female student was detained after protesting against hijab enforcement by removing her clothing during a confrontation with university security. Incidents like these highlight the ongoing repression faced by women under Iran’s mandatory hijab laws.

Workers in Iran endure hazardous conditions, with 38 fatalities and 135 injuries recorded from work-related accidents in November. Additionally, 736 workers reported unpaid wages, exacerbating economic hardships in unsafe working environments. Violent incidents involving border workers (kulbars and Sukhtbars) also continued. On November 3, 2024, indiscriminate shooting by military forces killed Saber Barzkar and injured two others in Espakeh, Lashar County. On the same day, military forces in Iranshahr County opened fire on a suspected fuel-smuggling vehicle, killing three Sukhtbars. These incidents underscore the ongoing dangers faced by marginalized laborers in Iran’s border regions.

Executions

This month in Iran, the execution of 135 individuals took place, comprising 127 men and 4 women, and 1 juvenile offender.This also includes 11 Afghan citizens. A total of 37 individuals were sentenced to death. Iran persists in executing individuals for offenses falling short of the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Notably, there remains a consistent trend of individuals being executed for drug-related crimes, a practice in clear contravention of the right to life as stipulated by the ICCPR. This month, 68 people were executed for drug-related offenses.

On November 9, 2024, Voriesha Moradi, a political prisoner held in Tehran’s Evin Prison, was sentenced to death by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati. She was convicted of “armed rebellion” (baghi) due to alleged membership in an opposition group.

On November 13, 2024, eight inmates were executed at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Iran. Among them were Hamzeh Tarkashvand, Jafar Rahsepar, and an individual with the surname Rasgoo, all convicted on drug-related charges. Additionally, Khaled Tajik, Ahmad Alizadeh, Saman Bozorgi, an unnamed woman, and another unidentified man were executed for murder convictions

Mohammad Mehdi-S was sentenced to death by Branch Five of the Criminal Court One in Khorasan Razavi Province for fatally stabbing Basij member Rasoul Doost Mohammadi during the 2022 nationwide protests in Mashhad. In addition to the death penalty, he received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence and was ordered to pay blood money for causing bodily harm, and 74 lashes for possessing explosive materials. Mohammad Mehdi-S claimed the stabbing was unintentional, and the verdict is subject to appeal in the Supreme Court.

Six defendants in the case known as “Ekbatan Town” were sentenced to death by Branch 13 of Tehran’s Criminal Court. The individuals—Milad Armon, Alireza Kafaei, Amir Mohammad Khosh Iqbal, Navid Najaran, Hossein Nemati, and Alireza Barmarzpournak—faced charges including “participation in murder,” “warfare,” and “disturbing public order” following the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran. These charges stemmed from the killing of Basij member Arman Ali Verdi in Ekbatan during the protests. Their cases, initially delayed due to procedural issues, were ultimately sent to Branch 13 and Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati. While four of the defendants were previously released on bail, they were rearrested after their final defense hearings in November 2024. The ruling, which included a dissenting minority opinion, can still be appealed.

Additionally, in Qazalhisar prison in Karaj one juvenile offender was executed, he was 17 years old when he was arrested after being accused of murdering his friends during a fight in 2019. 

Freedom of Thought and Expression 

Iran continues to crack down on anyone who protests or criticizes the regime, persistently violating the right to freedom of expression and thought. This month alone, 55 individuals have been arrested related to freedom of expression, 29 trials, and 4 people were arrested without any judicial order. There were also 6 cases of assault and battery by a police officer and 1 journalist was required to pay a fine of 6,600,000 Tomans, Mojtaba Rahimi a journalist at Arman Imroz newspaper was accused of publishing falsehoods with the aim of disturbing the public mind.

Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced eight political prisoners to severe penalties, including six death sentences, long prison terms, and exile. The defendants were charged with crimes such as rebellion, treason, and collusion against national security, stemming from allegations of membership in anti-regime groups. Arrests occurred between late 2022 and early 2023, and some defendants had prior political convictions. The final verdicts were issued in October 2024.

1. Akbar Daneshvar Kar:
   • Charge: Rebellion through membership in anti-regime groups.
   • Sentences: Death penalty, 5 years of imprisonment for assembly and collusion to disrupt national security, 10 years of imprisonment for forming illegal organizations.
2. Seyyed Mohammad Taqvi Sangdehi:
   • Charge: Sedition through membership in anti-regime groups.
   • Sentences: Death penalty, 5 years of imprisonment for assembly and collusion to disrupt national security, 10 years of imprisonment for creating illegal documents.
3. Babak Alipour:
   • Charge: Rebellion through membership in anti-regime groups and destruction of public property.
   • Sentences: Death penalty, 5 years of imprisonment for assembly and collusion to disrupt national security, 20 years of exile in Khash city.
4. Pooya Qobadi Bistoni:
   • Charge: Membership in anti-regime groups.
   • Sentences: Death penalty, 1 year of imprisonment for illegally crossing borders.
5. Vahid Bani Amirian:
   • Charge: Rebellion through membership in anti-regime groups.
   • Sentences: Death penalty, 5 years of imprisonment for assembly and collusion to disrupt national security.
6. Seyyed Abulhasan Montazer:
   • Charge: Treason through membership in anti-regime groups.
   • Sentences: Death penalty, 5 years of imprisonment for assembly and collusion to disrupt national security.
7. Seyyed Ali Taqvi Sangdehi:
   • Charge: Membership in anti-regime groups.
   • Sentences: 2 years of imprisonment.
8. Seyyed Mojtaba Taqvi Sangdehi:
   • Charge: Assembly and collusion to disrupt national security and membership in anti-regime groups.
   • Sentences: 3 years and 7 months of imprisonment for collusion, 3 years of imprisonment for membership in anti-regime groups.

On November 17, 2024, the Revolutionary Court in Khorramabad convened to address additional charges against Nasrin Shakarami, mother of Nika Shakarami—a 17-year-old who died during the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran. Nasrin, currently detained in Khorramabad Prison, faced allegations including “propaganda against the regime,” “inciting people to war and killing,” and “insulting the Supreme Leader and the founder of the Islamic Republic.” Earlier, on November 10, she defended herself via video conference in the Criminal Court Two of Khorramabad against charges of “insulting the sacred” and “spreading falsehoods to disturb public opinion.” Her attorney, Ali Omidi, noted that prior to her arrest on October 16, 2024, Nasrin had been summoned multiple times through the Sana system but was unaware of the notifications, leading to her detention. 

Prison Conditions

In November, there were 30 cases of prisoners lacking medical care and 34 cases of incommunicado detention, leaving families in the dark about the prisoners’ fates due to a lack of contact. Furthermore, 47 prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement, 9 prisoners have had no access to a lawyer, and 5 have gone on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions.

Rahleh Rahmipour, a 72-year-old civil activist imprisoned in Evin Prison, faces severe health challenges, including a growing brain tumor, heart disease, diabetes, and cataracts, yet remains denied specialized medical care. Despite frequent health crises, including unconsciousness and heart attacks, she is routinely returned to her cell without adequate treatment. Arrested in 2018 and sentenced to six years in prison for “gathering, collusion, and propagandizing against the regime,” Rahmipour’s condition has worsened significantly, with judicial authorities refusing appeals for her parole or transfer to medical facilities. Her case highlights the systemic neglect faced by political prisoners in Iran.

Ruhollah Khosravi, a political detainee held for over 15 months without trial, was transferred from Sheiban Prison to Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz in late November 2024. On November 9, after protesting the relocation of public telephones to a noisy area near the prison kitchen, Khosravi was reportedly beaten by guards and moved to solitary confinement. Following 18 days in isolation, he was placed in the general ward of Sepidar Prison. Arrested on August 23, 2023, in Izeh, Khosravi has been denied access to legal representation, and his case, involving national security charges, remains under investigation by the Izeh Prosecutor’s Office. As of now, the specific allegations against him have not been disclosed.

Women 

This month, 12 women were killed due to domestic violence, 4 women were arrested for hijab violations. Women continue to face harassment and arrests for not wearing hijab properly. 

Women in Iran continue to suffer from domestic violence, often facing emotional, physical, and sexual abuse by their husbands.  In  November, a woman was attacked by her husband with a pickaxe, she was struck on the head and then went into a coma, a week later she died due to her injuried.  A woman was also stabbed to death by her son in Tehran, claiming family disputes as the reason for the attack. 

Additionally, women continue to suffer under Iran’s strict hijab and clothing laws for women, the head of the FATA police in Bushehr arrested 10 men and 2 women for  “producing and publishing vulgar content on Instagram”.

A women was also assaulted by a motorcyclist, after the publication of the video, the police in Tehran filed a case against the women for not wearing her hijab, while the motorcyclist was only prosecuted for not following the traffic regulations 

On November 2, 2024, at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, a female student removed her clothing in protest after a violent confrontation with university security over alleged hijab violations. She was subsequently detained and taken to an undisclosed location. While some sources attribute her actions to mental health issues, others link them to compulsory hijab enforcement. The student’s identity remains unknown.

Workers 

Workers in Iran face ongoing challenges and hazardous workplaces. In a tragic turn of events, this month saw 38 fatalities resulting from work-related accidents, with an additional 135 workers left injured. Moreover, 736 workers reported unpaid wages. This month there were also 2 strikes and 32 worker gatherings.

In early November 2024, due to inadequate workplace safety, 18 workers in Iran’s Zabol and Farooj counties suffered accidents: a 22-year-old construction worker in Zabol died after being struck by falling materials from a malfunctioning hoist, and 17 workers in a tomato paste factory in Farooj were injured in a fire, with five hospitalized.

In early November 2024, a series of violent incidents in Iran resulted in the deaths of one kulbar and three sukhtbars. On November 3, in Espakeh, Lashar County, the indiscriminate shooting by military forces killed Saber Barzkar and injured two others. On November 4, in Nosud, military forces fired upon a group of kulbars, injuring 42-year-old Mardin Shakri, he was hospitalized in Kermanshah. Additionally, on November 3, in Iranshahr County, military forces opened fire on a vehicle suspected of fuel smuggling, resulting in the deaths of three sukhtbars. These incidents highlight the ongoing dangers faced by kulbars and sokhtbars in border regions.

International News Update:

The UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran held consultations with survivors of the Iranian government’s repression of the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests. Survivors, including women, children, and young adults, shared their experiences of violence, persecution, arbitrary detention, and torture following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, which sparked widespread protests. They emphasized the need for truth, justice, accountability, and reparations, citing systemic legal discrimination and repression in Iran.

Key points include:

• Survivors face ongoing challenges, including denial of mourning rights, pervasive surveillance, and judicial harassment.
• Testimonies revealed the courage of individuals within Iran, such as medical professionals and lawyers, who supported protesters at great personal risk.
• Survivors stressed the need for legal reforms, victim rehabilitation, psycho-social support, and international pressure on Iran to meet its human rights obligations

The Mission, tasked with investigating these human rights violations, is preparing a report for the Human Rights Council in March 2025. This report will include a roadmap for accountability and reparations and actionable recommendations for the international community. Survivors expressed frustration with the lack of progress but remain committed to seeking justice and equality.

In her first report to the UN General Assembly, Mai Sato, Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, expressed serious concerns over the increasing number of executions, lack of transparency, and worsening human rights conditions, especially for women and girls. She highlighted:

• Executions: A sharp rise in executions, with 93 carried out in August 2024 alone, many for drug-related offences and vaguely defined security charges like “spreading corruption on earth” or “waging war against God,” which do not meet international law standards for “most serious crimes.”
• Women’s Rights: The Iranian government’s response to the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement and the proposed Chastity and Hijab Bill reflect systemic discrimination. Iran has yet to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
• Discrimination: A call for an intersectional and gendered perspective to address discrimination affecting marginalized groups based on gender, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation.
• Right to Life: Sato emphasized concerns over the death penalty, lethal state violence, deaths in custody, and laws or practices that excuse or fail to investigate killings.

Sato urged Iran to cooperate with her mandate to address human rights violations, emphasizing her role as an independent expert offering constructive support to improve human rights protections. She appealed for collaboration among all stakeholders, including the Iranian government, civil society, and the international community, to make meaningful progress.

Download full Pdf: Monthly Report November

HRANA – HRA’s Statistics Department has released its monthly report for October 2024, documenting persistent human rights abuses across Iran.

Executions: This month, 145 individuals were executed, including 137 men, 5 women, and 1 juvenile. Additionally, 11 new death sentences were issued. Many executions were related to drug offenses, directly contradicting the right to life under the ICCPR. Notable cases include 21-year-old Mehdi Brahui, executed on October 9, despite being a minor at the time of his alleged crime. On October 28, dual German-Iranian citizen Jamshid Sharmehed was executed for “corruption on earth,” a sentence that has strained EU-Iran relations.

Freedom of Thought and Expression: Iran continued to detain individuals for political and expressive activities. This month, 17 arrests and 5 trials were reported. Among them, six Azerbaijani activists were sentenced to a total of 53 years on charges of collusion, propaganda, and espionage. Women prisoners who protested an execution faced additional sentences. In a separate case, editor Mohammad Reza Saadi awaits sentencing after being charged with “propaganda” for criticizing Iran’s economy.

Prison Conditions: Prisoner mistreatment and neglect continue. There were 34 cases of medical neglect, and 10 detainees lacked communication access, leaving families uncertain of their fates. Mahmoud Dehmardeh, a death row inmate, died after delayed medical treatment, highlighting systemic medical neglect.

Women’s Rights: Women face continued repression. This month, two women were killed due to domestic violence, two were raped, and seven were detained for hijab violations. Cases include arrests over “immoral content” on Instagram, and a visually impaired woman was assaulted and murdered in Ardabil. In another case, a woman in Tehran suffered an acid attack following a dispute with a neighbor.

Labor Rights: Worker rights are precarious, with 68 work-related deaths and 126 injuries reported. Additionally, 737 workers reported unpaid wages, and recent protests led to arrests and harsh treatment of demonstrators. Two teenage fuel carriers were injured by a landmine, and two civilians were killed by military forces in Sarbisheh during indiscriminate shooting.

International Update: Iran featured in the UN’s recent report on reprisals, which noted threats, arrests, and surveillance of activists, especially those cooperating with the UN. The EU condemned the execution of Jamshid Sharmehed and called on Iran to halt executions and end detentions for political leverage.

Executions

This month in Iran, the execution of 145 individuals took place, comprising 137 men and 5 women, and 1 juvenile offender. A total of 11 individuals were sentenced to death. Iran persists in executing individuals for offenses falling short of the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Notably, there remains a consistent trend of individuals being executed for drug-related crimes, a practice in clear contravention of the right to life as stipulated by the ICCPR. This month, 57 people were executed for drug-related offenses.

On October 9, 2024, Iranian authorities executed 21-year-old Mehdi Brahui in Zahedan Prison. Arrested at 17 for alleged involvement in a fatal group altercation in Khash, Brahui was convicted and sentenced to death by the Special Children’s Court of Sistan and Baluchistan Province. His execution, carried out despite international prohibitions against executing individuals for crimes committed as minors, has not been officially acknowledged by prison officials or relevant institutions.

Jamshid Sharmehed, a dual Iranian-German citizen, was executed on October 28, after being sentenced to death by the Tehran Revolutionary Court in March 2022 for “corruption on earth” and involvement in directing alleged terrorist acts. His sentence, upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2023, was executed, though the location was not disclosed. Sharmehed’s trial was held in Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Abolqasem Salavati. Iranian authorities previously identified Sharmehed as a leading figure in the “Thunder” group, which they accuse of anti-state activities. His daughter, Ghazaleh Sharmehed, reported restricted access to legal counsel and claimed he was held in solitary confinement under duress to sign documents. Sharmehed, who was born in 1955 and resided in the United States, had taken leadership of the Kingdom Assembly following the disappearance of its founder, though his connection to the group remains disputed.

In recent weeks, multiple executions have been carried out in Iran. Ten prisoners convicted of murder and drug-related charges were executed in Shiraz’s Adel Abad Prison, while two others faced the same fate in Tabriz and Jiroft prisons. Among those executed in Shiraz, Kazem Saadipour, Reza Namdari, and Hossein Heydari for drug-related offenses. Additional executions included Hadi Falah in Tabriz and Younes Akhtar Samar in Jiroft, both convicted of similar charges. Meanwhile, a prisoner in Bushehr was spared execution after the victim’s family consented to a reprieve, facilitated by efforts from local authorities and community leaders.

Freedom of Thought and Expression 

Iran continues to crack down on anyone who protests or criticizes the regime, persistently violating the right to freedom of expression and thought. This month alone, 17 individuals have been arrested related to freedom of expression, 5 trials, and 6 people were arrested without any judicial order. 

Six Azerbaijani (Turkish) activists—Kamal Nouri, Ayaz Seifkhah, Abdul Aziz Azimi Kadim, Baqer Hajizadeh, Hossein Piri, and Araz Aman—have been sentenced to a combined 53 years in prison by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, specifically Branch 15, under Judge Abolqasem Salavati.

The sentences, issued on October 25, 2024, include:

1. Hossein Piri: 5 years for assembly and collusion.
2. Abdul Aziz Azimi Kadim: Charges of propaganda against the regime.
3. Araz Aman, Ayaz Seifkhah, Baqer Hajizadeh: Each sentenced to 8 years for espionage and 5 years for assembly and collusion.
4. Kamal Nouri: Sentenced to 3 years, with part of this term suspended.

Five female prisoners in Evin Prison—Varisheh Moradi, Paharhan Azizi, Mahbobeh Rezaei, Narges Mohammadi, and Paryosh Moslami—were collectively sentenced to 27 months and one day in prison in a recent joint case. The sentence was issued by Tehran’s Quds criminal court under Judge Abolfazl Ameri Shahrabi and delivered on October 28, 2024.

The verdict includes:

1. 1. Azizi, Rezaei, Mohammadi, and Moradi: Each sentenced to six months for conflict with agents and rebellion.
   2. Paryosh Moslami: Sentenced to three months and one day for the same charge; acquitted of disturbing prison order, as were the other defendants.

This case began on August 16 following protests by women prisoners after learning of Reza Rasaei’s execution. Following this protest, some prisoners faced additional restrictions, such as bans on phone calls and family visits. Only Moslami attended the court session, while the other defendants refused to appear.

Additionally, protestors of the 2022 nationwide protests continue to battle in court. Ayub Ghaibipour Hajior, detained during the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran, has had his 11-year prison sentence and exile to Kerman prison upheld by the Supreme Court. Originally sentenced by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court for deliberate arson, destruction of public property, and propaganda against the regime—including allegedly burning a statue of Qasem Soleimani—his case was initially overturned and sent for re-examination but ultimately reaffirmed by the court.

Mr. Ghaibipour received 10 years for muharibeh (enmity against God) and an additional year for propaganda against the regime. He was arrested in November 2022 in Ahvaz, detained in Shiban prison, and later released on a substantial bail of three billion tomans. During his detention, he reportedly lacked adequate medical care.

Mohammad Reza Saadi, editor-in-chief of Jahan Sanat newspaper, was found guilty by Tehran’s Criminal Court of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic” after publishing an article critical of Iran’s economic instability amid tensions with Israel. The article, titled “Media Bombing of the Markets,” argued that economic weaknesses, such as a fragile stock market and currency devaluation, hinder Iran’s military capabilities. This led to charges of disrupting public psychological security and harming the economic atmosphere. While the court convicted Saadi, the jury recommended a lenient sentence, with the final decision pending.

Prison Conditions

In October, there were 34 cases of prisoners lacking medical care and there were 10  cases where no information about the person has been available after their arrest, leaving families in the dark about the prisoners’ fates due to a lack of contact. Furthermore, 24 prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement, 9 prisoners have had no access to a lawyer, and 11 have gone on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions.

Javad Mohammadi Fard, a political prisoner in Urmia Prison, attempted suicide on October 2, reportedly due to untreated severe stomach issues and denial of medical leave. After his suicide attempt, prison authorities transferred him briefly to a psychiatric center before returning him to prison, where he remains in poor health. Despite suspicions of stomach cancer, he has been denied specialized medical treatment. Mohammadi Fard was arrested in July 2022, later sentenced to four years on security charges, with his appeal denied in February 2023.

Mahmoud Dehmardeh, a 41-year-old death row inmate in Zabul Prison, died of a heart attack on October 30 after reportedly being denied necessary medical care. Despite long-standing health issues, including diabetes and shoulder pain, prison officials allegedly resisted requests to transfer him to an external hospital for proper treatment. After his collapse in prison, he was taken to Amir al-Momenin Hospital, but it was too late, and his family was informed of his death by phone. Dehmardeh was arrested in 2019 on murder charges and later sentenced to death. His case highlights ongoing reports of medical neglect for prisoners, despite regulations ensuring their right to medical care.

Parham Parori, a detainee from the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran, is currently serving his sentence in Iranshahr Prison, where he has reportedly been subjected to violence due to a lack of separation from general crime inmates. His mother, Sarveh Sozani, reported that he was recently beaten by other prisoners, resulting in a fractured eye, six stitches, and severe burns from scalding tea.  Additionally, Matal Ahmadian, a 39-year-old political prisoner in Evin Prison, is in critical health, suffering from multiple conditions, including a duodenal ulcer, testicular infection, lumbar disc issues, and severe digestive problems. Despite medical recommendations for external treatment, Tehran’s prosecutor, Ali Salehi, has denied his transfer to a hospital, insisting on prison infirmary care. His health has deteriorated, causing severe heart palpitations and abdominal swelling. 

Women 

This month, 2 women were killed due to domestic violent, and 2 was raped and  7 cases of arresting women for hijab violation. Women continue to face harassment and arrests for not wearing hijab properly. 

The head of FATA police in Bushehr announced the arrest of seven women and teenage girls for allegedly producing and sharing “immoral advertising content” on Instagram. According to Mehdi Ghasemi, these individuals, part of a group engaged in a form of group sport “imitating foreign examples,” created and posted what authorities deemed “vulgar content” on Bushehr’s beaches. Following coordination with judicial authorities, the police blocked their Instagram pages, seized digital devices, and referred the women to judicial authorities. The identities and locations of those arrested were not disclosed.

In mid-October 2024, a 39-year-old visually impaired woman named Soraya was sexually assaulted and murdered in Ardabil, Iran. The assailant, her neighbor, allegedly entered her home disguised in a woman’s chador, waited for her return, and then attacked her. He was arrested days later and confessed to the crime during interrogation.

In Tehran, a 50-year-old woman was attacked with acid by her neighbor, Roya, following a dispute. The victim reported that ongoing disagreements escalated when Roya splashed acid on her after a confrontation. Although she received hospital treatment for severe burns, the victim is now pursuing legal action. Despite legislation introduced in 2018 to increase penalties for acid attacks, acid remains easily accessible in Iran, and incidents persist due to inadequate preventive measures and law enforcement. Authorities have initiated an investigation under Judge Azim Sohrabi to fully assess the case.

The police commander of Pardis city reported the arrest of a man who used female models to advertise joint pain treatments on Instagram, presenting himself as an orthopedic doctor. The authorities have blocked his Instagram page and sealed his business location. Although details of the charges and the individual’s whereabouts were not disclosed, a court case has been filed against him.

Workers 

Workers in Iran face ongoing challenges and hazardous workplaces. In a tragic turn of events, this month saw 68  fatalities resulting from work-related accidents, with an additional 126 workers left injured. Moreover, 737 workers reported unpaid wages. This month there were also 4 strikes and 91 worker gatherings. 

During a protest by Arghwan Gostar petrochemical workers in front of the Chavar courthouse in Ilam, two workers attempted self-immolation to protest their employment situation and the arrest of their colleagues. Among them was the father of one of the detained workers. The protest, held on October 7, 2024, gathered dozens of workers demanding the release of arrested colleagues and a resolution to ongoing job security issues. Arghwan Gostar workers have faced severe financial difficulties over the past three months, leading to recent protests during which several workers were reportedly arrested and taken to undisclosed locations.

In mid October , four workers from Toos Asphalt Company, a contractor for Chadormeloi Mine in Yazd, were arrested during a protest rally. The workers were demonstrating against unmet demands, and authorities issued bail for their temporary release. Additionally, several other workers received summonses via text message to appear before judicial authorities for questioning. The identities and current locations of those detained have not been disclosed. In recent days, Toos Asphalt workers have held several protest gatherings, urging that their grievances be addressed.

This month, 5 kulbars were killed, and 5 Sukhtbar were also killed. Two teenage fuel tankers, Shahram Shahnawazi, 17, and Ali Shahnawazi, 16, were injured in Mirjaveh city after an anti-personnel mine explosion on November 7, 2024. Reportedly planted by the IRGC, the mine caused neck and hand injuries to the teens. When border guards arrived at the Mirjaveh border post, the teens were beaten, and their vehicle was set on fire. 

Two citizens were killed in Sarbisheh city, South Khorasan province, following indiscriminate shooting by military forces.  One of the victims, identified as Iraj Sarani Mokher, 34, a married father of two, lost his life along with another individual when military personnel fired at their cars without prior warning approximately 20 kilometers from Sarbisheh’s center. One victim died instantly, while the other succumbed to injuries after being taken to Sarbisheh Hospital.

International News Update:

The UN Secretary-General’s report on reprisals against individuals cooperating with the United Nations highlighted 32 countries where incidents have been documented, including Iran. These reprisals often involve threats, arbitrary arrests, torture, and intimidation, especially toward activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. Despite legal protections, restrictive laws and surveillance continue to hinder cooperation with the UN. The report also addresses self-censorship due to fear of reprisal, noting an increase in anonymous cases to protect individuals. The UN remains committed to supporting safe engagement for civil society, with initiatives like the Agenda for Protection, which emphasizes safeguarding human rights defenders and vulnerable groups.

The European Union strongly condemned Iran’s execution of German-Iranian national Jamshid Sharmahd, offering condolences to his family and expressing solidarity with Germany. The EU criticized Sharmahd’s abduction and imprisonment without a fair trial, reaffirming its opposition to capital punishment. It also urged Iran to end detentions of foreign and dual nationals for political leverage and emphasized that these actions violate international law. The EU warned that this execution damages EU-Iran relations and is considering significant, targeted measures in response.

In a recent UK Parliament debate, MPs reaffirmed a commitment to imposing targeted sanctions on Iran focused on addressing human rights violations. The measures aim to deter Iran’s ongoing repression, including its treatment of women, religious minorities, and protestors. The government emphasized expanding sanctions to restrict key resources, enabling it to respond to Iran’s suppression of civil freedoms. These sanctions reflect the UK’s broader strategy of upholding human rights and opposing Iran’s internal abuses, while also working with international partners to enhance enforcement and support for those affected.

Download Full Pdf: Monthly Report October

HRANA – HRA’s Statistics Department has released its monthly report for September 2024, highlighting ongoing human rights violations across Iran. This month, 66 individuals were executed, including 28 for drug-related crimes, and 10 individuals were newly sentenced to death. A significant number of executions remain unreported by Iranian authorities. Among the notable cases is Mohammad Javad Vafaei, who was sentenced to death for the third time, despite previous Supreme Court rulings overturning his sentences. Political prisoners such as Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hosni also faced capital punishment under charges like “treason” and “corruption on earth,” while six prisoners were executed in Zahedan prison for non-political crimes.

Freedom of expression continues to be severely restricted, with 51 individuals arrested this month. Among them was journalist Mehta Sadri, fined for “propaganda against the regime” after making statements about Ebrahim Raisi’s death. Additionally, security forces prevented Mahsa Amini’s family from holding a commemoration on the second anniversary of her death, leading to widespread strikes in Kurdish cities.

Prison conditions remain a serious concern. 25 cases of medical neglect were reported, with 13 prisoners left in limbo without updates following their arrests. Political prisoners like Maryam Mehrabi began hunger strikes in protest of mistreatment, while others, including Meisham Dehbanzadeh, suffered permanent injuries from abuse by prison guards.

Women’s rights violations continued under Iran’s “Operation Noor,” with 6 women killed, one sentenced to death, and several detained for violating hijab laws. A 17-year-old girl tragically died after setting herself on fire in protest of a forced marriage. In addition, three medical centers in Mahabad were shut down for performing unauthorized abortions.

Labor conditions worsened, with 72 fatalities and 84 injuries reported from work-related accidents. An explosion at the Tabas coal mine led to 51 deaths, raising concerns about safety regulations in Iran’s mining industry. Border workers, including Kulbars and fuel carriers, faced violence, with 5 deaths and 8 injuries reported from military force confrontations.

On the international front, UN experts and the U.S., Australia, and Canada imposed sanctions on Iranian officials for human rights violations. The sanctions targeted individuals responsible for torture, suppression of dissent, and denial of medical care in prisons. These nations condemned Iran’s escalating executions and urged a halt to its misuse of the death penalty, particularly against ethnic minorities like Kurds and Baluchis.

Executions

This month in Iran, the execution of 66 individuals took place, comprising 60 men and 6 where the gender of the individual is unknown. A total of 10 individuals were sentenced to death. Iran persists in executing individuals for offenses falling short of the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Notably, there remains a consistent trend of individuals being executed for drug-related crimes, a practice in clear contravention of the right to life as stipulated by the ICCPR. This month, 28 people were executed for drug-related offenses.

In one week, at an alarming rate, 15 prisoners, including two Afghan nationals, were executed in Iran for charges related to murder and drug crimes. Fourteen executions took place in Adel Abad prison in Shiraz, and one in Gorgan prison. Among those executed were “Yasin Darvishi,” a 21-year-old sentenced to death for murder in Gorgan. The identities of other executed prisoners include “Amir Naderzadeh,” “Sajjad Fadaei,” and several others.. Iranian prison officials have not publicly confirmed these executions as of this report.

Mohammad Javad Vafaei, a political prisoner in Vakil Abad Prison, Mashhad, has been sentenced to death for the third time by the Revolutionary Court of Mashhad. Previously, he was twice sentenced to death, but both rulings were overturned by the Supreme Court, leading to retrials. Vafaei, a 28-year-old boxing coach, was initially arrested in 2018 and charged with “corruption on earth” for alleged destruction of property. Despite two successful appeals, he has again been sentenced to death after the third trial, with the court opposing the Supreme Court’s previous rulings. This sentence can be appealed. Although a heavy bail was set for temporary release, Vafaei was unable to provide it.

Political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hosni have been sentenced to death by Judge Iman Afshari, head of Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The charges against Ehsani and Hosni include “treason, war, corruption on earth, membership in the Mujahideen, gathering classified information, and collusion against national security.” Both men were arrested in 2022—Ehsani at his home in Tehran and Hosni while attempting to leave the country in Zanjan. They were subsequently transferred to Evin Prison and held for months without clarity on their cases.

On September 19, six prisoners sentenced to death for non-political crimes, primarily related to drug offenses, were executed in Zahedan prison. HRANA confirmed the identity of these individuals: Saied Hassanzahi, a 30-year-old father of three from Zahedan; an individual with the surname Rudini, also from Zahedan; Noor Mohammad Nouri, an Afghan national; and Farzad Sancholi, a 29-year-old father of three from Zabul. These prisoners were transferred to the prison’s quarantine ward on Saturday evening and allowed a final meeting with their families before the executions.

Saied Hassanzahi was arrested in 2020 on drug-related charges and sentenced to death by the Zahedan Revolutionary Court. Noor Mohammad Nouri was arrested in August 2022 at a border terminal in Zabul and sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Zabul. Farzad Sancholi was arrested in Zabul four years ago on similar charges and sentenced to death shortly thereafter. He had been transferred to Zahedan prison two years ago.

Freedom of Thought and Expression 

Iran continues to crack down on anyone who protests or criticizes the regime, persistently violating the right to freedom of expression and thought. This month alone, 51 individuals have been arrested related to freedom of expression, 5 trials, and 3 cases of assault and battery by police. 24 people were arrested without any judicial order. 

This month, journalist Mehta Sadri, manager of the Gilan Sadr analytical news site, was sentenced to pay a fine instead of serving a six-month prison term. She was charged with propaganda against the regime and publishing false information intended to disturb public opinion, following her comments on the death of Ebrahim Raisi. While she was acquitted of the falsehood charges, she was fined six million Tomans for the charge of propaganda against the regime.

Sadri stated that her arrest resulted from “media work and the atmosphere created by extremist organizations and groups” in Gilan province. She also faced certain restrictions during the legal proceedings, although further details were not provided.

On the second anniversary of Mehsa (Zina) Amini’s death, security forces prevented her family from holding a commemoration and visiting her grave. Security forces blocked Amini’s family from attending her grave and instructed them not to leave their residence. Additionally, access roads to Aichi’s tomb in Saqqez, where Amini is buried, were closed to prevent any ceremonies. In response to these restrictions, strikes were observed in several Kurdish cities, including Sanandaj, Saqqez, Diwandara, Marivan, Mahabad, Bukan, Ashnoye, and Piranshahr. Amjad Amini, Mehsa Amini’s father, expressed gratitude for the support shown through the strikes.Meanwhile, Mehsa Amini’s mother, Mozhgan Eftekhari, commemorated the victims of the 2022 nationwide protests on her Instagram account, marking the anniversary of her daughter’s death.Reports also surfaced that local marketers were threatened by authorities to reopen their shops after participating in the strike.

On the eve of the second anniversary of Mahsa (Zina) Amini’s death, 14 teachers’ union activists were summoned to the Sanandaj Public Prosecutor’s Office. According to Harana News Agency, citing the Coordinating Council of Iran’s Educators’ Trade Union Organizations, the activists were called in on charges including gathering and collusion against national security, propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and disrupting public order. The activists summoned include Mohammad Reza Moradi, Aram Ebrahimi, Sadeq Kanani, Ghiyath Nemati, Nasrin Karimi, Majid Karimi, Salah Haji Mirzaei, Fateme Zand Karimi, Koresh Ezzati, Faisal Nouri, Reza Tahmasabi, Shahriar Naderi, Behzad Qavami, and Rozgar Heydari. These union members have a history of arrests and legal encounters due to their activities and advocacy efforts.

Eight political defendants, including Nasim Gholami Simiari, Hamidreza Sahlabadi, Ehsan Ravazzhian, Amin Sokhnour, Amir Shah Velayati, Ali Herati Mokhtari, Shahin Zhamt Kash, and Hossein Mohammad Hosseini, were sentenced by the Tehran Revolutionary Court to a combined total of 42 years and 3 months in prison, 25 years of exile, and 74 lashes. The court was presided over by Judge Iman Afshari.

The specific sentences are as follows:

– Nasim Gholami Simiari: 6 years in prison, 74 lashes, and 20 years of exile.

– Amin Sokhnour: 7 years and 7 months in prison.

– Hamidreza Sahlabadi: 3 years and 7 months in prison, plus 5 years of exile.

– Ehsan Ravazzhian: 6 years and 7 months in prison.

– Ali Herati Mokhtari: 3 years and 6 months in prison.

– Shahin Zhamt Kash: 11 years in prison.

– Amir Shah Velayati and Hossein Mohammad Hosseini: Both originally sentenced to 2 years in prison, which were later reduced to fines (80 million Tomans and 165 million Tomans, respectively).

 All defendants were charged with crimes such as conspiracy, collusion, and actions against the regime. One of the accused, Hossein Ardestani, was acquitted, while two others, Siamak Tedin and Farid Golshani, remain fugitives, and their cases remain open.The court hearings for this case took place in July and August, and the arrests were carried out over a period between May and August 2022 by security forces, including the IRGC.

Prison Conditions

In August, there were 25 cases of prisoners lacking medical care and there were 10  cases where no information about the person has been available after their arrest, leaving families in the dark about the prisoners’ fates due to a lack of contact. Meanwhile, 3 prisoners have been deprived of any form of contact and 4 have had their visitation rights prevented. Furthermore, 38 prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement, 10 prisoners have had no access to a lawyer, and 4 have gone on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions.

Maryam Mehrabi, a teacher imprisoned in Dolat Abad Prison in Isfahan, has begun a hunger strike while being held in solitary confinement. She is protesting against mental pressure, poor physical conditions, and being separated from her children. Mehrabi has been hospitalized several times, and her family’s concerns have grown due to the lack of communication with her. She was arrested on June 29, and this is her second detention, following a previous arrest in 2022 related to her brother’s case. She had been sentenced to 74 lashes and three months in prison, later converted to a fine.

Meisham Dehbanzadeh, a political prisoner serving his sentence in Qazalhasar Prison in Karaj, has suffered permanent damage to the nerves in his left eye after being beaten by prison guards last year. Following the assault, in which he was beaten on the head with a baton and handcuffed to a bar for a day, doctors have now confirmed that his vision in the left eye cannot be restored. Dehbanzadeh was transferred to the hospital due to vision problems and frequent headaches, but his condition is deemed untreatable.

Dehbanzadeh, sentenced to six years in prison and 74 lashes for property destruction, is facing increased concern from his family about his physical condition. In addition to his original sentence, he was later sentenced to 16 months in prison and 74 lashes for disobeying prison officers. He was briefly released in June 2022 following an amnesty decree but is now back in prison facing ongoing health challenges.

Samman Yasin, a political prisoner in Qazalhasar prison, continues to suffer from untreated physical and mental health issues. Despite his poor condition and the need for specialized medical care, he has not been allowed to receive treatment outside the prison. Yasin was arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests and initially sentenced to death for charges including “waging war against God” and actions against national security. Although his death sentence was overturned, his case remains unresolved. He faces poor prison conditions and inadequate healthcare. 

Mehnaz Tarrah, a political prisoner in Evin Prison, attempted suicide by ingesting pills.  She was taken to Loghman Hospital but was returned to the prison shortly after. Tarrah’s suicide attempt was in protest against the death sentence issued to another political prisoner, Pakhshan Azizi. Tarrah was previously arrested in November 2023 and sentenced to nearly three years in prison for charges including collusion and propaganda against the regime.

Women 

This month, 6 women were killed, and 1 was raped and 1 was sentenced to death. Women continue to face harassment and arrests for not wearing hijab properly. 

After a video surfaced showing several teenage girls without hijabs during Ashura mourning processions in Karaj, the police chief of Alborz province, Hamid Hedavand, announced that the girls had been summoned by authorities. Hedavand referred to them as violators, claiming that their actions had “hurt the feelings of mourners.” The investigation was launched after the video went viral on social media.

Two months after 14-year-old Nafas Haji Sharif was assaulted by security forces for not wearing a hijab, her family’s legal complaint remains unresolved. Despite the severity of the case, there has been no progress in holding the perpetrators accountable, while a case against an officer who claimed injury during the incident has been fast-tracked. Nafas continues to face psychological trauma and threats from authorities following the incident.

Three medical centers in Mahabad were shut down for allegedly performing abortions without authorization. This action was part of a broader government effort to combat population decline, according to the head of Mahabad’s health department, Kamran Alizadeh. The crackdown on these centers is linked to stricter policies on reproductive rights, which activists argue violate women’s autonomy and could increase unsafe, underground procedures, threatening women’s health.

A 17-year-old girl in Iranshahr, who had been forced into marriage by her family, died from severe injuries after setting herself on fire in protest of the marriage. Despite warning her family that she would resort to such measures, they dismissed her concerns, assuming she would eventually accept the marriage. This tragic incident highlights the persistent issues surrounding child marriage in Iran and the devastating consequences it can have on young girls’ lives.

This month HRA published a report detailing the rise of women’s activism in Iran amidst increasing hostility from the government. Women are at the forefront of resistance, challenging gender-based discrimination and systemic oppression. Despite heightened repression, including arrests, imprisonment, and harsh crackdowns, these activists continue to fight for equality and justice. The government’s efforts to silence dissent have only intensified the resolve of these women. The article emphasizes their resilience, courage, and determination, with many declaring that while their bodies may be imprisoned, their quest for justice cannot be suppressed.

Workers 

Workers in Iran face ongoing challenges and hazardous workplaces. In a tragic turn of events, this month saw 72  fatalities resulting from work-related accidents, with an additional 84 workers left injured. Moreover, 10995 workers reported unpaid wages. This month there were also 5 strikes and 151 worker gatherings. 

An explosion in the Tabas coal mine, caused by a methane gas leak, has resulted in at least 51 fatalities and 20 injuries. Rescue teams, including over 130 personnel and multiple ambulances, responded to the disaster. The blast occurred in two sections of the mine, trapping and injuring many workers. The lack of safety standards and technical issues in the mine’s ventilation system are cited as the main causes of the accident. This incident has led to widespread criticism of safety regulations in Iran’s mining industry.

In September 2024, several tragic incidents involving arms law violations and border workers took place in Iran, particularly affecting Kulbars and fuel carriers. In Nosoud, a Kulbar named Kamran Abbasi was shot by military forces while attempting to transport goods across the border. As a result, he suffered serious injuries after falling from a height. This case underscores the ongoing violence faced by these laborers who are forced to risk their lives due to lack of economic opportunities.

Another incident occurred in Hirmand, where Nader Dahmarde, a farmer, was fatally shot by border patrol officers while working in his field. Despite posing no threat, Dahmarde was targeted by security forces and later succumbed to his injuries. His death highlights the frequent use of excessive force by Iranian authorities in border regions, where civilians are often caught in violent confrontations between security forces and border workers.

In addition to these fatalities, several fuel carriers in the Baneh and Saqqez regions were shot and injured by border guards. These workers, who transport fuel across borders for a living, often face similar risks as Kulbars, being regularly targeted by military forces. The month of September saw 5 fatalities, including 4 fuel carriers and 1 Kulbar, and 8 injuries, illustrating the persistent dangers these vulnerable groups face due to the harsh enforcement of border regulations.

International News Update:

UN experts have voiced alarm over a sharp rise in executions in Iran, particularly among ethnic minorities like Kurds and Baluchis. They highlighted that many executions follow trials lacking due process and include non-violent crimes, such as drug offenses. The experts are calling for an immediate moratorium on the death penalty and urging Iran to review death penalty cases in line with international human rights standards. They stressed that the death penalty is being misused as a tool of repression against marginalized groups.

The U.S., in collaboration with Australia and Canada, imposed sanctions on several Iranian officials for their roles in human rights violations, particularly related to the suppression of protests and violence against women. These sanctions were announced around the second anniversary of Mahsa (Gina) Amini’s death, following her arrest by the morality police. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong sanctioned five senior Iranian officials, while Canada issued a statement condemning Iran’s repressive actions. This coordinated effort underscores the three nations’ commitment to confronting Iran’s oppressive policies and supporting human rights.

These sanctions also specifically target officials in Iranian prison systems who are responsible for human right abuses in prison, including the use of torture and sexual assaults against prisoners, the denial of medical care to political prisoners, the violent suppression of protesters protesting their conditions, and the kidnapping of regime critics abroad. 

• Ali Abdi: General Office of Prisons Organization in Khorasan Razavi Province
• Ahmad Reza Azadeh: Head of Sepidar Prison
• Mostafa Bazvand: Commander of the IRGC and Basij Resistance Force in Mazandaran province’s Babolsar county
• Alireza Babaei Farsani: Director-General of Isfahan Province Prisons
• Hamid Khorramdel: Commander of the IRGC’s Fatah Corps of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province
• Gholamreza Roshan: Director General of Prisons in Khuzestan Province
• Ali Jume Malek Shahkouie: Commander of the IRGC’s Golestan Corps of Golestan province

Download Full Pdf: Monthly Report September

Executions

This month in Iran, the execution of 92 individuals took place, comprising 68 men and 24 where the gender of the individual is unknown. A total of 14 individuals were sentenced to death. Iran persists in executing individuals for offenses falling short of the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Notably, there remains a consistent trend of individuals being executed for drug-related crimes, a practice in clear contravention of the right to life as stipulated by the ICCPR. This month, 45 people were executed for drug-related offenses.

This month, in one day 22 prisoners were executed, for crimes including murder, drug-related crimes and rape in in Qazalhisar prison in Karaj.  The identity of six of these prisoners who were sentenced to death due to charges related to drug crimes, Ismail Sharfi, Mohammad Gholami, Abdullah Shahnawazi, Shahab Maleki, Rasul (unknown last name) and (unknown first name) Ghanbari. On their last days they were sent to solitary confinement and their families were told to come to say their final goodbyes. 

Additionally, one of the protestors of the 2022 nationwide protests was executed on August 6th, 2024. Reza Rasaei was charged with a non-violent crime and the judge relied on forced confessions in order to reach a conviction. 

The Supreme Court of Iran has confirmed the death sentences of six political prisoners—Malik Ali Fadaei Nasab, Farhad Shakri, Isa Eidmohammadi, Abdul Hakim Azim Gergij, Abdul Rahman Gergij, and Taj Mohammad Kharmali—who are currently imprisoned in Vakil Abad Prison in Mashhad. These prisoners were initially sentenced to death in 2018 by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court on charges of “treason” related to their alleged membership in the Salafi group Hezb al-Furqan and the Sunni National Solidarity Front of Iran. Although their sentences were initially overturned by the Supreme Court for re-examination, the Revolutionary Court reissued the death sentences after a retrial in August 2023. The case was then reviewed and confirmed by Branch 39 of the Supreme Court. A source close to the prisoners’ families highlighted severe flaws in the case and reported instances of torture, including the use of pepper spray on one prisoner, which have left lasting effects on their bodies.

Kamran Sheikhe, a Sunni prisoner, was executed in Urmia prison on Thursday, August 4, after spending over fourteen years in imprisonment. He was the last of seven Sunni religious prisoners who were sentenced to death in a joint case and have all now been executed. The group was originally arrested in connection with the murder of a teacher named Abdul Rahim Tina in 2007. Their death sentences were issued by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Mohammad Moqiseh, and later reaffirmed by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court under Judge Abolqasem Salavati, despite a temporary overturning by the Supreme Court. The six other prisoners—Qasim Abasteh, Ayoub Karimi, Dawood Abdulahi, Farhad Salimi, Anwar Khezri, and Khosro Besharat—were executed earlier this year and in late 2022 in Qazalhasar and Urmia prisons, concluding the case with Sheikhe’s execution.

Freedom of Thought and Expression 

Iran continues to crack down on anyone who protests or criticizes the regime, persistently violating the right to freedom of expression and thought. This month alone, 25 individuals have been arrested related to freedom of expression, 11 trials, and 2 cases of assault and battery by police. 

This month 3 journalists were convicted. Omid Pahuda was sentenced to six months in prison on the charge of propaganda against the regime.

Niloufer Hamedi and Elaha Mohammadi, two Iranian journalists, were initially sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court for charges including “collaborating with a hostile foreign government” (the United States), “gathering and collusion against the security of the country,” and “propaganda activity against the regime.” However, the Tehran Court of Appeal reduced their sentences to six years each. They were acquitted of the charge of collaboration with the U.S., but their sentences of five years for “gathering and collusion” and one year for “propaganda against the regime” were upheld.

Their lawyers expressed hope that the remaining charges would be pardoned under the 2022 amnesty directive, as both journalists meet the conditions for amnesty. Hamedi was originally charged after publishing a photo of Mahsa Amini in a coma, while Mohammadi reported on Amini’s death, both of which played a significant role in the protests that followed. After spending time in Qarchak and Evin prisons, both journalists were released on bail in December 2022. However, a new case was later opened against them, reportedly related to the hijab issue.

On Tuesday, August 9, Ahmad Hassanzadeh and Solmaz Hassanzadeh, the father and sister of Mohammad Hassanzadeh—a victim of the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran—were arrested by security forces in Bukan. According to reports, they were detained at their home, where they were also subjected to beatings. The security forces confiscated their mobile phones and those of other family members. The arrests are believed to be connected to the family’s attempt to hold a ceremony in honor of Mohammad Hassanzadeh’s birthday. As of now, there is no information on their whereabouts or the charges against them. Previously, both Ahmad and Solmaz were summoned and interrogated by the Bukan Intelligence Department, and Solmaz was briefly detained at a checkpoint in October last year. Mohammad Hassanzadeh, aged 28, was shot during the 2022 protests.

Prison Conditions

In August, there were 47 cases of prisoners lacking medical care and there were 21 cases where no information about the person has been available after their arrest, leaving families in the dark about the prisoners’ fates due to a lack of contact. Meanwhile, 49 prisoners have been deprived of any form of contact and 47 have had their visitation rights prevented. Furthermore, 38 prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement, 5 prisoners have had no access to a lawyer, and 0 have gone on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions.

Sara Jahani, a women’s rights activist imprisoned in Lakan prison in Rasht, is being denied specialized medical treatment despite her deteriorating health. Jahani, who suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), recently experienced a severe muscle spasm that caused her to fall in the prison bathroom, further aggravating her physical condition. Despite her need for hospital care and specialized treatment, prison authorities have refused to transfer her to a medical facility. This is not the first time Jahani has faced such neglect; a previous incident resulted in a tear and bleeding above her eye.

Jahani was arrested on August 8, 2023, and transferred to Lakan prison to serve her sentence, despite her medical condition. She was initially detained by security forces in August 2022 in Gilan province and was later sentenced to six years, one month, and seventeen days in prison for charges related to “membership in a group and society” and “collusion with the aim of disrupting national security.” Her case, along with those of ten other women’s rights activists in Gilan, was confirmed by the Court of Appeal in June 2023. Although her prison sentence was temporarily postponed in late July due to her medical condition, Jahani remains in prison without proper medical care, exacerbating her already serious health issues.

A prisoner named Ruhullah Mohammadi, aged 48, died in Urmia prison on Tuesday, August 16, due to a delay in receiving necessary medical attention. Mohammadi, who was serving time for non-political crimes, fell ill and was taken to the prison hospital. Despite the prison doctor’s recommendation that he be transferred to an external hospital for further treatment, the transfer did not occur in time. The prison authorities reported that Mohammadi suffered a fatal heart attack before he could be sent to the hospital, highlighting the severe consequences of inadequate medical care in Iranian prisons.

More than a week after the death of Seyyed Mohammad Mirmusavi in a police station in Lahijan, Iran’s police command issued a notice attributing his death to the “lack of control of anger and emotions” by police officers, who allegedly beat him during his arrest. The police claimed Mirmusavi was confrontational and disobedient, leading to the altercation. The announcement followed reports that Mirmusavi’s body showed signs of severe beating, and possibly a gunshot wound. In response, five police officers were arrested, and involved agents were suspended. Despite the ongoing investigation, details remain scarce, adding to concerns over the increasing number of suspicious deaths in police custody in Iran.

Women 

This month, 8 women were killed, and 6 were raped. Women continue to face harassment and arrests for not wearing hijab properly. 

Several more incidents have occurred as part of a broader crackdown under Iran’s “Noor” plan, launched on April 25 to enforce the mandatory hijab more strictly. Since its implementation, there have been numerous reports of violent actions and arrests targeting women who do not comply with these requirements.

On June 21, two teenage girls in Tehran were violently assaulted and arrested by agents enforcing the “Noor Plan,” a crackdown on women who do not comply with mandatory hijab regulations. The girls were taken to the Morality Police in a white van, where one of them, 14-year-old Nafas Haji-Sharif, sustained serious injuries, including a bruised face, swollen lips, and a bruised neck. According to Nafas’s mother, Maryam Abbasi, her daughter was beaten by the agents, who dragged her by the hair and slammed her head into an electric post. Despite providing evidence, including CCTV footage, Abbasi’s complaints have been dismissed by authorities. The Morality Police have claimed that a female officer was injured during the altercation and have warned Abbasi against pursuing legal action. 

Arezou Badri, a 31-year-old woman from Noor city in Mazandaran province, was shot by police about ten days ago while driving, due to issues related to the mandatory hijab. The incident left her severely injured, with significant damage to her lungs and spinal cord. Arezou currently has no sensation from the waist down, and it is uncertain whether she will be completely paralyzed.

The shooting occurred after her car was impounded for not complying with the mandatory hijab regulations. Although doctors managed to remove the bullet from her back, her injuries are severe, and her long-term prognosis remains unclear.

Workers 

Workers in Iran face ongoing challenges and hazardous workplaces. In a tragic turn of events, this month saw 41 fatalities resulting from work-related accidents, with an additional 60 workers left injured. Moreover, 3640  workers reported unpaid wages. This month there were also 23 strikes and 1055 people dismissed from their work.

Alireza Abdullahzadeh, a worker at a petrochemical plant in Khuzestan died from heatstroke due to extreme working conditions, including temperatures over 50 degrees Celsius and humidity above 90 percent. Abdullahzadeh suffered a seizure and lost vital signs before reaching the hospital. The harsh environment in oil-rich regions, exacerbated by polluted air from petrochemical complexes, poses significant risks to workers. This occurrence, along with others, emphasizes the need for protective measures, such as shorter working hours, increased rest periods, and access to water and shade, to ensure worker safety.

Security forces searched the home of labor activist Ismail Garami, seizing personal and digital devices, including his laptop, mobile phone, and national ID card. This search occurred on Wednesday, August 17. Alongside the search, Garami was summoned to appear at the Shahid Moghads courthouse (Evin) within five working days. Previously, in July, he was fined by Branch 1027 of Tehran Criminal Court. Garami has a history of arrests and legal issues related to his activism, including a brief arrest during a retirees’ protest in Tehran.

At least six protest rallies were held recently across Iran. These included protests by:

1. Pars Wagon factory workers in Arak: Workers protested the lack of attention to their demands, particularly the equalization of wages. They noted that the factory was closed after their earlier protest, and their demands remain unmet. The factory’s CEO mentioned financial difficulties, only offering limited support to workers with medical issues.
2. Farmers in Kermanshah: Farmers gathered in front of the provincial governor’s building to protest the non-payment for their wheat and frequent power cuts affecting their agricultural wells.
3. Nurses at Valiasr Noorabad Mamsani Hospital and Tabriz Health Hospital: Nurses protested at their workplaces, demanding tariff reforms, the elimination of mandatory overtime, and increased pay for overtime work.
4. Workers and drivers of Ilam municipality’s urban services: They protested the non-payment of their salaries and several months of arrears.
5. Victims of the Mehr Pardis residential units project in Tehran: These individuals protested in front of the army headquarters, expressing frustration over the unresolved issues related to their investments in a housing project supervised by the army, which has been ongoing for three years.

Each group expressed dissatisfaction with unaddressed grievances, ranging from unpaid wages to unmet housing promises.

On Thursday, August 18, military forces shot and injured at least four Kolbers (border porters) in the “Henge Jhal” border area of Baneh city . The identity of one injured Kolber, named Kamal (surname unknown), has been reported.

International News Update:

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran reported that ethnic and religious minorities, especially Kurds and Baluch, have been disproportionately impacted by the government’s crackdown since the 2022 protests. The report details severe human rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture, rape, and gender persecution—many of which may constitute crimes against humanity. Children from these communities suffered particularly harsh abuses.

The protests, triggered by the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, saw significant participation from minorities already facing poverty and discrimination. The state’s militarized response in minority regions resulted in the highest death tolls. Security forces carried out mass arrests, subjecting detainees to torture and sexual violence, with unfair trials leading to a surge in executions.

The Mission highlighted that these actions intersected with ethnic, religious, and gender-based persecution. Despite the gravity of these violations, there has been no accountability for high-ranking officials. The Mission called for comprehensive reparations and accountability at national and international levels to protect the rights of victims, particularly women and children from minority groups.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, voiced alarm over Iran’s execution of at least 29 people in just two days, contributing to a total of 345 executions this year, including 15 women. Many were convicted of drug-related offenses, which do not meet international standards for the death penalty. Concerns were also raised about the lack of fair trials and the disproportionate impact on ethnic minorities like Kurds, Ahwazi Arabs, and Baluch. The UN urged Iran to impose a moratorium on executions and move towards abolishing the death penalty.

UN human rights experts have raised urgent concerns over the denial of necessary medical care to Iranian human rights defender Narges Mohammadi and other detainees. Mohammadi, who suffers from severe back and knee pain, was reportedly subjected to physical violence in Evin Prison, leading to further injuries. Despite her requests for legal and medical assistance, these were denied by prison authorities.

The experts emphasized that denying medical care to prisoners could amount to torture and inhuman treatment, which are absolute violations of international human rights law. They also highlighted a troubling pattern of ill-treatment in Iranian prisons, calling for the immediate release of Mohammadi and other arbitrarily detained individuals, including Fatemeh Sepehri and Reza Shahabi Zakaria, who also need urgent medical attention. The experts urged Iran to uphold its obligations under international human rights agreements.

Download Full Pdf: Monthly Report August

HRANA – HRA’s Statistics Department has released its monthly report for July 2024, highlighting ongoing human rights violations across Iran. This month, 43 individuals were executed, comprising 36 men and 2 women, with only a few executions officially reported. Alongside these executions, 14 individuals were sentenced to death, underscoring a persistent use of capital punishment in Iran, often for offenses that do not meet international standards, notably drug-related crimes. This practice starkly contradicts the right to life as articulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). 

Freedom of expression remains severely curtailed, with 144 individuals arrested in relation to this issue during July. Among them was Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour, who was summoned to serve his prison sentence for his song “Brai,” which led to charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “inciting people to disturbances.” Additionally, journalists and activists such as Salahuddin Khalaj Asadi faced harsh penalties, with Asadi receiving a sentence of 40 lashes for insulting a government official. The Court of Appeals upheld a two-year prison sentence and a fifteen million toman fine for journalist Dina Ghalibaf.

Prison conditions remain dire and continue to be a place of serious human rights violations, with reports of 25 cases of medical neglect and significant delays in judicial processes affecting 13 cases, where no information about the person has been available after their arrest. Political prisoners like Meisham Dehbanzadeh and Gholamhossein Kolbi faced severe mistreatment, including beatings and medical neglect. Mahnaz Desha, a political prisoner in Evin prison, attempted suicide in protest against the death sentence of another political prisoner and was returned to prison shortly after hospital treatment.

Women’s rights violations persist . This month, two women were executed, and two others were sentenced to death. Women continue to face harassment and arrests for improper hijab wear; in July, one woman was arrested for this reason. Additionally, there was an honor killing, and another woman fell victim to an acid attack in Haftkel.

Workers in Iran endure hazardous conditions, with 24 fatalities and 60 injuries recorded from work-related accidents in July. Additionally, over 3,988 workers reported unpaid wages, exacerbating economic hardships in the face of unsafe working environments. In one incident, an 18-year-old teenager named Habib Ghafran died due to indiscriminate shooting by police forces in Zabul. Five workers, including an emergency rescuer, faced accidents due to unsafe working conditions, resulting in three deaths and two injuries. On July 18th, military forces shot at Kolbers in Nowsud, resulting in one death and five injuries.

This report underscores ongoing human rights abuses in Iran, including executions without transparency, suppression of dissent, dire prison conditions, systematic violations of women’s rights, and unsafe labor practices, warranting urgent international attention and action.

Executions

This month in Iran, the execution of 43 individuals took place, comprising 36 men and 2 women. A total of 14 individuals were sentenced to death. Iran persists in executing individuals for offenses falling short of the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Notably, there remains a consistent trend of individuals being executed for drug-related crimes, a practice in clear contravention of the right to life as stipulated by the ICCPR. This month, 26 people were executed for drug-related offenses.

Kamran Sheikha, a Sunni prisoner, was executed in Urmia prison after more than fourteen years of imprisonment. He was sentenced to death along with six other Sunni prisoners and was the last to be hanged in this case.

The case began in October 2007 with the killing of teacher Abdul Rahim Tina by unknown assailants. Sheikha and the six others were arrested and sentenced to death by Branch 28 of Tehran Revolutionary Court, a sentence later upheld by Branch 41 of the Supreme Court.

Despite an initial overturning by the Supreme Court, the death sentences were reissued by Judge Abolqasem Salavati of Branch 15 of Tehran Revolutionary Court and ultimately confirmed by the Supreme Court on February 14, 2018.

Kamran Sheikha was transferred from Mahabad prison to Urmia prison the day before his execution. Other prisoners in the same case, Qasim Abasteh, Ayoub Karimi, Dawood Abdulahi, and Farhad Salimi, were executed in Qazalhasar prison in Karaj on various dates. Anwar Khezri and Khosro Besharat were also executed in Urmia prison in May of this year.

This month, Sharifeh Mohammadi was sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht on charges of “Baghi” (armed rebellion) due to her alleged membership in an opposition group. Her court session, held on June 8th, addressed accusations of propaganda against the regime, actions against national security, and “Baghi” through her involvement with an opposition group. The Ministry of Intelligence apprehended Mohammadi at her Rasht residence on December 5, 2023. She was transferred from Lakan Prison to Sanandaj Prison on December 30, 2023, and later returned to Lakan Prison.

Similarly, this month, Pakhshan Azizi, a political detainee held in Evin Prison, was sentenced to death by Judge Iman Afshari of Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Azizi faced multiple charges, including “membership in anti-regime groups.” A source close to the labor activist’s family told HRANA, “Sharifeh was a member of the Association of Labor Organizations until 2013, which has no connection to the Komala group she is accused of being a member of, leading to the charge of ‘Baghi’.”

Freedom of Thought and Expression 

Iran continues to crack down on anyone who protests or criticizes the regime, persistently violating the right to freedom of expression and thought. This month alone, 144 individuals have been arrested related to freedom of expression, 32 trials, and 2 cases of assault and battery by police. Iran also continues to sentence individuals based on their posts on social media platforms, this month Hamidreza Shirzadi, was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “blasphemy, his posts on Instagram were used against him. 

A spokesman for the judiciary announced the arrest of 113 people, the summoning to the courts of 100 people, for charges related to the presidential elections. Additionally, 4500 instagram pages have been identified for “trying to encourage people to boycott the elections and create despair and despair in the society”. Lastly, also two cases were filed against Telegram channels related to the presidential election. Additionally, the spokesperson of the Judiciary stated that 30 individuals were summoned to the Prosecutor General’s Office for what he called “promoting rumors in cyberspace”.

Shervin Hajipour, an Iranian singer, has been summoned to serve his prison sentence. His sentence of three years and eight months was confirmed by the appeals court. During the 2022 nationwide protests, Hajipour was arrested for his song “Brai” and was later charged with “propaganda against the regime” and “inciting people to disturbances.” Although his travel ban was lifted, he must present himself to prison soon. Additionally, he faces a two-year travel ban and other penalties. Hajipour’s song “For” won the “Song for Social Change” award at the 55th Grammy Awards.

Additionally, a charge was filed against “Jehan Sanat” newspaper”publishing material regarding the results of the presidential election. 

Salahuddin Khalaj Asadi, a journalist, was sentenced to 40 lashes by the Court of Appeal of Central Province. This sentence followed a complaint by Massoud Piraysh, the Director General of the Sports and Youth Department of Central Province, accusing Asadi of insulting a government official. 

While Asadi was acquitted of personal insult, defamation, and publication of falsehoods, the court upheld the lashing sentence for the charge of insulting a government official. Despite international prohibitions against inhumane and degrading punishments, including execution, Iran continues to use such punitive measures.

The Court of Appeals of Tehran Province has upheld a two-year prison sentence and a fifteen million toman fine for journalist and Shahid Beheshti University student Dina Ghalibaf, for “spreading falsehoods.” Both penalties are suspended for five years, requiring her to avoid political and social activists during this period. Ghalibaf, arrested on April 16 and later transferred to Evin Prison, was reportedly abused during detention. She was released on bail on May 1. At 23, Ghalibaf has worked with ISNA and EghtesadOnline and faced disciplinary action for participating in a university protest in 2023.

On 24 July, 10 individuals were arrested in Kamyaran and transferred to an undisclosed location. The arrest took place during the funeral of Esmaeil Karimi, a forest ranger who was fatally injured while extinguishing the fire in Kamyaran.

Prison Conditions

In July, there were 25 cases of prisoners lacking medical care and there were 13 cases where no information about the person has been available after their arrest, leaving families in the dark about the prisoners’ fates due to a lack of contact. Meanwhile, 13 political prisoners have been granted medical leave.  Furthermore, 18 prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement, 6 prisoners have had no access to a lawyer, and 4 have gone on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions.

Meisham Dehbanzadeh, a political prisoner in Qazalhasar prison, Karaj, has suffered irreversible damage to the nerves in his left eye after being beaten by prison guards last year. Following a conflict in the 5th Division of the Greater Tehran Prison in June 2022, six guards beat him on the head and handcuffed him to a bar for a day. He was recently transferred to Farabi Hospital due to vision loss and headaches, where doctors confirmed his condition is untreatable. Dehbanzadeh, sentenced to six years in prison and 74 lashes for property destruction and other charges, faces daily difficulties due to his vision impairment, causing concern among his family. He was previously released under an amnesty decree in June 2023 but remains imprisoned following additional sentences by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Gholamhossein Kolbi, a political prisoner in Shiban Ahvaz prison, is serving the 24th year of his life sentence. Despite suffering from hernia and ear infections, he has been deprived of proper medical care and hospitalization. Kolbi, 66, has been limited to basic examinations and pills from the prison infirmary, though he requires specialized treatment. He was arrested on January 19, 2000, with Saeed Masouri for alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, Kolbi was initially sentenced to death in 2001 for moharebeh, later commuted to life imprisonment. He spent 14 months in solitary confinement and was transferred between various prisons before landing in Shiban Prison.

Mahnaz Desha, a political prisoner in Evin prison, attempted suicide by swallowing pills on the evening of Tuesday, August 2. She was taken to Luqman Hospital and returned to Evin Prison shortly after. Desha’s suicide attempt was in protest against the death sentence of another political prisoner, Azizi. Desha was arrested on November 13, 2023, in Tehran and transferred to Evin Prison on December 3, 2023. In December 2023, she was sentenced to three years and eight months for conspiracy and eight months for propaganda against the regime. Her sentence was later reduced to two years and nine months. Desha has a history of judicial and security issues.

In conclusion, the treatment of prisoners in Iran remains a critical human rights concern, with ongoing reports of medical neglect, violence, lack of legal representation, and punitive actions against political dissent.

Women 

This month, 2 women were executed, and 2 others were sentenced to death. Women continue to face harassment and arrests for not wearing hijab properly. In July, 1 woman was arrested for improper

 hijab wear. Additionally, there was an honor killing, and another woman in Haftkel fell victim to an acid attack.

A video showing teenage girls without hijabs participating in the mourning processions of the third Shiite Imam was circulated on social networks. Following the video’s release, the police chief of Alborz province announced that these girls have been summoned to the police.

Hamid Hedavand, the police chief, stated that the video caused hurt feelings among mourners and prompted police action. He labeled the girls as violators and confirmed that all identified individuals have been summoned by the Alborz province police.

Sepideh Rashno, a writer, student, and anti-hijab protester, has been summoned to Evin Prison on July 27 to serve her sentence. Despite attempts to delay her sentence, the Supreme Court converted another prison sentence to a fine, but the previous suspended sentence will be enforced.

In July 2022, a video showed Rashnu confronting a religious vigilante on a bus, leading to her arrest and a suspended three-years, seven-months prison sentence in December 2022. In 2023, she faced additional charges, resulting in a reduced sentence, which was converted to a fine. Rashnu, about 30, is a painting student at Alzahra University and was suspended for not complying with mandatory hijab rules.

Workers 

Workers in Iran face ongoing challenges and hazardous workplaces. In a tragic turn of events, this month saw 24 fatalities resulting from work-related accidents, with an additional 60 workers left injured. Moreover, 3988  workers reported unpaid wages, while 3418 others were denied their insurance rights. 

On Friday, July 15th, an 18-year-old teenager named Habib Ghafran (Taymuri) from Zabul died due to indiscriminate shooting by police forces. The anti-narcotics forces fired at a car without warning, seriously injuring the driver with a bullet to the head. Ghafran, who worked at his father’s supermarket on Zabul Army Blvd, died after 24 hours in the hospital.

Five workers, including an emergency rescuer, faced accidents due to unsafe working conditions in Kerman, Dezful, Qazvin, and Isfahan, resulting in three deaths and two injuries.

• In Kerman, a 30-year-old worker died after falling into a well while digging on a cattle farm near Akhtiar Abad. Rescuers retrieved his body after two to three hours.

• In Dezful, a 38-year-old emergency rescuer, Ebrahim Harisi, drowned in the Dez River. His body was found by fire department divers.
• In Isfahan, a worker fell into a canal during a water transfer project and was injured when soil fell on his head.
• In Qazvin, two elevator repairmen experienced an electric shock while fixing a broken elevator, resulting in one death and one injury.

On Monday, July 18th, military forces shot at Kolbers in the border areas of Nowsud, resulting in one death and five injuries. Ayoub Mohammadi, a married father from Kogah village, Salas Babajani county, and resident of Javanrud, was killed. The injured Kolbers were taken to Quds Hospital in Paveh for treatment. The military has not yet handed over Mohammadi’s body to his family. The Kolbar work is a hazardous and difficult job pursued due to lack of opportunities, often leading to fatalities or injuries from natural hazards or shootings by border guards. 

International News Update:

The campaign to defend labor activist Sharifeh Mohammadi is gaining strong international support. Recently, the French trade union collective, comprising five major unions with hundreds of thousands of workers, and the Confederation of Danish Trade Unions condemned her death sentence and demanded her immediate release. They emphasized that fighting for workers’ rights should never be a crime and criticized the Iranian regime’s repressive actions.

Various other international organizations, including Amnesty International, the Swedish-Iran trade union platform, and unions from Spain, Germany, and Australia, have also supported the campaign. The campaign “Free Them Now” has called for global support to pressure the International Labour Organization (ILO) to expel Iran from the organization and to secure Mohammadi’s release. The collective efforts aim to amplify the voice of Mohammadi and her family worldwide and ensure her immediate freedom.

UN Special Rapporteur, Dr. Javaid Rehman, emphasized the need for an international mechanism to investigate and prosecute those responsible for “atrocity crimes” in Iran, including the extrajudicial killing of thousands of arbitrarily arrested prisoners during the 1980s crackdown on political dissent.

Dr. Rehman, whose mandate ends on July 31 and is now being taken over by Mai Sato, stated that the summary, arbitrary, and extrajudicial executions during 1981-1982 and in 1988 amounted to crimes against humanity, including murder, extermination, and genocide. The victims included women, some reportedly raped before execution, and many children. Crimes against humanity also included imprisonment, torture, and enforced disappearances.

Dr. Rehman highlighted that the Bahá’ís were targeted with genocidal intent, and persecution of religious, ethnic, and linguistic minorities and political opponents continued with impunity since the Islamic Republic’s establishment in 1979. The Special Rapporteur’s final findings call for an investigative and accountability mechanism to conduct impartial investigations, preserve evidence, and aim for criminal prosecutions under international law. Rehman stressed that the ongoing concealment of the fate of political opponents and the whereabouts of their remains amounts to the crime against humanity of enforced disappearance.

Dr. Rehman noted the failure to ensure justice and accountability in Iran and its impact on the families of victims and the current human rights situation. Despite the Iranian government’s denial of these “atrocity crimes,” perpetrators have not been brought to justice. Rehman reiterated that there should be no impunity for gross human rights violations, regardless of when they were committed. He called for an independent international investigative and accountability mechanism for Iran to ensure that the regime and its leaders face consequences for their crimes against humanity and genocide.

Download Full Pdf: Monthly Report July

HRANA – HRA’s Statistics Department has released its monthly report for June 2024, highlighting ongoing human rights violations across Iran. This month, 8 individuals were executed, all men, with only 1 execution officially reported. Alongside these executions, 10 individuals were sentenced to death, underscoring a persistent use of capital punishment in Iran, often for offenses that do not meet international standards, notably drug-related crimes. This practice starkly contradicts the right to life as articulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). 

Freedom of expression remains severely curtailed, with 167 individuals arrested in relation to this issue during June. Among them were journalists Saba Azarpik and Yashar Soltani, who were imprisoned under allegations of publishing content deemed detrimental to societal psychological security. Additionally, political activists such as Matin Hasan faced harsh sentences, with Hasan receiving a 31-month prison term for alleged involvement in protests against the regime. 

Prison conditions continue to deteriorate, with reports of 19 cases of medical neglect and significant delays in judicial processes affecting 94 cases. Political prisoners like Reza Khazaei and Muhammad Girgij faced severe mistreatment, including solitary confinement and suspicious circumstances leading to deaths in custody. 

Women’s rights violations persist under Iran’s “Operation Noor,” with incidents such as the forcible detention of over 100 students for violating mandatory hijab laws at Azad University and violent arrests of women in Tehran and Behbahan for non-compliance with hijab regulations. Atena Farghdani received a harsh six-year prison sentence for her civil activism, including charges of insulting sacred things and propagating against the regime.

Workers in Iran endure hazardous conditions, with 44 fatalities and 183 injuries recorded from work-related accidents in June. Additionally, over 820 workers reported unpaid wages, exacerbating economic hardships in the face of unsafe working environments.

This report underscores ongoing human rights abuses in Iran, including executions without transparency, suppression of dissent, dire prison conditions, systematic violations of women’s rights, and unsafe labor practices, warranting urgent international attention and action.

Executions

This month in Iran, the execution of 8 individuals took place, comprising 8 men and 0 women. Additionally, of the 8 executions only 1 were reported by official sources. A total of 10 individuals were sentenced to death. Iran persists in executing individuals for offenses falling short of the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Notably, there remains a consistent trend of individuals being executed for drug-related crimes, a practice in clear contravention of the right to life as stipulated by the ICCPR. This month, 6 people were executed for drug-related offenses.

This month the Supreme Court of Iran, upheld the death sentence for Sunni Cleric Mohammad Khezrnejad. He was arrested during the nationwide 2022 protests. He was found guilty on the charge of “spreading corruption on earth,” “compromising national security by threatening the country’s integrity or independence,” and “engaging in propaganda against the regime. Similar to other cases the conviction was largely based on coerced confessions extracted during interrogations, where Khezrnejad allegedly confessed to “leading protests in Bukan and affiliating with anti-regime factions.” 

Freedom of Thought and Expression 

Iran continues to crack down on anyone who protests or criticizes the regime, persistently violating the right to freedom of expression and thought. This month alone, 167 individuals have been arrested related to freedom of expression, 55 trials, and 2 cases of assault and battery by police Among those affected are journalists Saba Azarpik and Yashar Soltani, who were arrested and taken to prison to serve their sentences. Azarpik was sentenced to two years in prison on five counts of publishing lies,

defamation, and threats, following complaints from the Islamic Council, Mohsen Dehnavi, Zahra Sheikhi, and two others. Additionally, Azarpik also faced a miscarriage due to her treatment and stress while being imprisoned,

Soltani, the director of Scan News channel, was charged with “publishing content aimed at disru pting the psychological security of society.” Iran continues to imprison journalists for content deemed contrary to the regime’s interests. Additionally, journalists Hadi Kesaizadeh, and Vahid Ashtari have been arrested due to their work. Mohammad Parsi currently has an active case against him for writing about the death of Nika Shakrami, Kesaizadeh was arrested for the same issue.

Moreover, politically motivated sentences are still being handed down. Matin Hasan received a thirty-one-month prison sentence for his role in the 2019 protests, with charges including “incitin

g people to engage in warfare with the intent to disrupt national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” Similarly, Mehdi Sabeti was se

ntenced to two years in prison for “insulting the Supreme Leader” and an additional year for “propaganda against the regime.”

In Astra, several citizens were arrested for their reaction to the late president Ebrahim Raisi, according to the governor, a video was posted on social media of the citizens celebrating his death, like burning the president’s banner and images. 

On June 17th, Reza Babranjad, the brother of Mehdi Babranjad—one of the victimsof the 2022 nationwide protests—was arrested. No information has been provided regarding the reasons for his arrest or the charges

 against him. Furthermore, Narges Mohammadi was sentenced to an additional one year in prison for ‘propaganda against the regime’, her lawyer claims this is for words about Dina Qalibaf , her letter about boycotting the parliamentary elections, and the letter to the parliaments of Sweden and Norway. Lastly, Atena Farghdani, a cartoonist and civil activist imprisoned in Evin prison, was sentenced to six years in prison by the twenty-sixth branch of Tehran Revolutionary Court for insulting sacred things and propaganda against the regime.

Prison Conditions

In Iran, there have been 19 cases of prisoners lacking medical care and 94 cases of uncertainty due to excessive prolongation of the judicial process and delays in determining the individuals’ status. Additionally, there are 25 cases where no information about the person has been available after their arrest, leaving families in the dark about the prisoners’ fates due to a lack of contact. Meanwhile, 8 political prisoners have been granted medical leave.  Furthermore, 4 prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement, 21 prisoners have had no access to a lawyer, and 6 have gone on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions.

Prisoners continue to be treated violently. On June 9th, Reza Khazaei, an inmate at Qazalhasar Prison, was beaten by prison offi

cers and subsequently transferred to solitary confinement. Khazaei was beaten following the publication of a video from inside the prison, showing prisoners, including Khazaei, protesting the implementation of numerous death sentences, poor conditions, and misconduct by prison officials. 

Additionally, on June 25th, Muhammad Girgij was arrested by anti-narcotics forces while on his way to his father’s house. Unaware of his arrest, his family feared for his safety and searched for him. Three days later, on June 28th,

 Zahedan’s drug department contacted his father, informing him that his son had died in their detention center. Despite the father’s demands for an explanation and to see his son’s body, no information was provided, and he was told to return the next day to collect the body. This case is part of a troubling pattern of suspicious deaths in police and judicial custody in Iran, with many cases remaining unresolved and uninvestigated.

Prisoners in Ward 4 of Evin Prison are facing many problems, especially overcrowding. Ward four of Evin prison has four halls. Halls 3 and 4, which have a capacity of 120 people, are now crowded with more than 300 people.

In conclusion, the treatment of prisoners in Iran remains a critical human rights concern, with ongoing reports of medical neglect, violence, lack of legal representation, and punitive actions against political dissent.

Women 

A notable incident occurred at Azad University Central Tehran Branch on June 9th, where at least 100 students were forcibly detained for not adhering to mandatory hijab laws. They were released only after signing a commitment letter to comply with hijab rules, with some being allowed to leave only after changing their veils.

On June 27th, police officers in Tehran violently arrested a young woman for not observing the mandatory hijab, as depicted in photos circulating on social media. The woman initially resisted arrest but was eventually forced into a police van. Her identity and whereabouts remain unknown. This incident is part of Iran’s “Noor” plan, initiated on April 25th, to enforce the mandatory hijab, which has led to numerous reports of violence and arrests of women.

Additionally, a video on social networks shows another arrest for non-compliance with the hijab laws in Behbahan National Park. On June 22nd, a woman was arrested by several officers of the Noor Project, who used violence during the arrest. Women’s rights activists reported that she was insulted after being taken to the “Headquarters of the Public Order of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps” and was later released on bond. Her identity and the specific charges against her remain unknown.

Workers 

Workers in Iran face ongoing challenges and hazardous workplaces. In a tragic turn of events, this month saw 44 fatalities resulting from work-related accidents, with an additional 183 workers left injured. Moreover, 820 workers reported unpaid wages, while 2000 others were denied their insurance rights. 

Due to unsafe environmental conditions and poor working environments, four workers have died in accidents in the cities of Urmia, Selmas, and Meybod. Additionally, two workers trapped under rubble following a mine collapse in Shazand city lost their lives. In another incident, two well diggers died from gas exposure in a sewage well in Selmas city. Specifically, in Golan village of Selmas city, West Azarbaijan province, the two well diggers succumbed to gas exposure before rescuers could arrive.

About eighty workers from the municipality of Sisherd have reported 21 months of salary arrears, attributed by the employer to “lack of financial resources.” 

One worker shared their frustrations, stating that this year they only received a small portion of their April salary, while the salaries for February, March, and the Eid bonus of 1402 remain unpaid. Additionally, since 2019, they have accumulated 21 months of unpaid wages. Despite the change of several mayors, none have addressed the outstanding wage demands from previous administrations. The worker also highlighted further issues, including a seven-month delay in insurance premium payments, which has prevented some colleagues from accessing pension services for several years.

Lastly, in June, there were 3 killings of Kulbars and nine injuries. On the 31st of Arkan Balwaseh, and Dana (surname unknown), were killed during a military shooting in the border areas of Horaman.

International News Update:

On the 20th of June the Secretary-General published his report, including information provided by HRA, to the General Assembly detailing the state of human rights in Iran from August 2023 to March 2024. It highlights increased engagement by Iran with human rights bodies, but expresses grave concerns over the high number of executions, including those related to drug offenses and the execution of minors and protest participants. Civic freedoms remain severely restricted, with targeted repression against journalists, artists, lawyers, and human rights defenders. The report criticizes the Chastity and Hijab Bill for imposing strict dress codes on women and underscores ongoing economic hardships exacerbated by mismanagement and sanctions. Additionally, issues such as the lack of education for children with disabilities, child marriages, and discrimination against minorities are addressed. Despite some positive steps, such as referencing international human rights conventions in judicial decisions and efforts toward accountability for protest-related abuses, significant human rights violations and the need for continued cooperation and reform remain major concerns.

In response to the Secretary General’s report, Ali Bahreini, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, expressed Iran’s opposition to selective mandates within the Human Rights Council, arguing that such approaches do not effectively protect or promote human rights. He emphasized the importance of cooperation with concerned countries as the genuine path to promoting human rights. Iran pledged to enhance cooperation with the High Commissioner for Human Rights and announced its participation in upcoming sessions of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Universal Periodic Review cycle. Bahreini highlighted concerns about Iranians’ deprivation of economic, social, and cultural rights due to unilateral coercive measures, lamenting the suffocation of human rights monitoring mechanisms on this issue. Iran’s commitment to minimizing the application of the death penalty to the most serious crimes was underscored, with ongoing efforts noted to further reduce its scope. Lastly, Bahreini asserted that Iran’s upcoming national elections would showcase its dedication to democracy and the empowerment of its citizens.

On the 27th of June, a group of independent experts called on Iran to release Narges Mohammadi and all women human rights defenders imprisoned for their activism. Narges Mohammadi, serving over 13 years with additional sentences for her advocacy, faces unfair charges framed as “national security” violations to silence dissent. The experts highlight her multiple convictions related to her human rights work, including advocating for female prisoners. The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has deemed her imprisonment arbitrary. The experts criticize Iran’s discriminatory justice system and the impunity for violations against women, urging respect for fundamental rights such as access to legal and medical support, which Mohammadi has been denied. They condemn the repression of women’s rights activists, particularly those opposing compulsory veiling, and stress that such repression violates Iran’s international human rights obligations.

Download Full Pdf: Monthly Report June

HRANA – HRA’s Statistics Department has released its monthly report for May 2024, revealing a concerning surge in human rights violations throughout Iran. This month witnessed the execution of 64 individuals, comprising 57 men and 3 women and includes 1 juvenile offender.. Shockingly, only 6 of these executions were reported by official sources, indicating a severe lack of transparency. Furthermore, 7 individuals were sentenced to death, reflecting a persistent trend of capital punishment in Iran.

Freedom of expression continues to be suppressed, with 363 cases related to this issue reported this month. Arrests of journalists and individuals critical of the regime persist, with 4 journalists detained and prominent figures like Mehrshad Kalini arrested for protesting against death sentences. Additionally, the recent death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash led to arbitrary arrests and interrogations of citizens posting about the incident on social media.

Prison conditions remain dire, with reports of medical neglect, prolonged judicial processes, and lack of legal representation. Recent incidents, including solitary confinement of political prisoners like Zartasht Ahmadi Ragheb and Hamzeh Darwish’s attempted suicide, highlight the urgent need for improved conditions and fair treatment within Iran’s prison system.

Women’s rights continue to be violated, with increased surveillance and arrests for non-compliance with hijab regulations under “Operation Noor.” Aida Shakarami and Zhina Modarresi Gorji are among those facing charges related to their activism, demonstrating ongoing crackdowns on dissent and stringent enforcement of hijab laws.

Workers face hazardous conditions and economic strain, with numerous fatalities and injuries resulting from work-related accidents. Additionally, trade activists like Mahmoud Beheshti Langroudi face legal persecution for their activism.

Executions

This month in Iran, the execution of 64 individuals took place, comprising 57 men and 3 women. Additionally, of the 64 executions only 6 were reported by official sources A total of 7 individuals were sentenced to death. Iran persists in executing individuals for offenses falling short of the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Notably, there remains a consistent trend of individuals being executed for drug-related crimes, a practice in clear contravention of the right to life as stipulated by the ICCPR. This month, 38 people were executed for drug-related offenses.

It is deeply concerning that Iran continues to sentence and execute juvenile offenders. Ramin Sa’adat, who was only 16 at the time of his arrest, was executed on May 18, 2024. International human rights law explicitly prohibits the execution of juvenile offenders, yet Iran persists in this practice.

Hatem Ozdemir, a Turkish national, has been sentenced to death for the second time. After his initial death sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court, he was re-sentenced to death. Furthermore, Iran has recently executed two more Sunni religious prisoners, Anwar Khazari and Khosrow Basharat, following a highly controversial trial. The trial, which involved the alleged murder of a man, was marred by significant human rights violations, including the lack of effective legal representation for the defendants.

Additionally, Iran continues to execute political prisoners. Mahmoud Mehrabi was sentenced to death on the charge of “corruption in the world” based on allegations that he published falsehoods on his Instagram page. This situation highlights ongoing concerns about the fairness and impartiality of Iran’s judicial system and its adherence to international human rights standards.

Freedom of Thought and Expression 

Iran continues to crackdown on anyone who protests or criticizes the regime, and continues to violate the right to freedom of expression and thought. This month there have been 363 cases related  to freedom of expression. This includes Wafa Ahmadpour and Daniyal Moghadam, who were arrested for producing a protest music video. Since the 2022 protests, many artists who have used creative outlets to call attention to the protests have been arrested. On the 18th of May, Mehrshad Kalini, a pediatric specialist living in Lordegan city, was arrested by the security forces while he was holding a banner protesting the death sentences in one of the streets of this city.

Additionally, journalists continue to be arrested, mainly on charges of propaganda against the regime. This month 4 journalists were arrested. Journalist Ali Moslehi was summoned and imprisoned for this exact charge. Recently, Shirin Saidi was sentenced to five years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. Saidi’s travels abroad to South Africa and Lebanon for journalism were used against her in the case.

This month, Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s president, died in a helicopter crash, causing a significant media stir. As a result, several citizens were summoned, arrested, and interrogated for their posts about the incident. In Amlash city, 10 individuals were arrested for publishing material related to the crash, with the police claiming that the content was intended to disturb the public’s mind. Hayman Mam Khosravi, the brother of Hajar Mam Khosravi, one of the victims of the nationwide protests of 2022, was summoned to the Bukan Intelligence Department for publishing information related to the crash. Maryam Daulatabadi, a resident of Sabzevar, who was arrested after publishing material about the helicopter crash, is still in custody despite the passage of three days, and her family is unaware of her condition.

Prison Conditions

In Iran, there have been 16 cases of prisoners lacking medical care and 92 cases of uncertainty due to excessive prolongation of the judicial process and delays in determining the individuals’ status. Additionally, there are 45 cases where no information about the person has been available after their arrest, leaving families in the dark about the prisoners’ fates due to a lack of contact. Meanwhile, 8 political prisoners have been granted medical leave, and there have been 2 cases of suicide among the incarcerated. Furthermore, 26 prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement, 6 have had no access to a lawyer, and 4 have gone on hunger strikes in protest of their conditions. 

Amidst these alarming trends, recent incidents have highlighted the harsh realities faced by detainees. Zartasht Ahmadi Ragheb, a political prisoner in Qazalhasar prison in Karaj, was transferred to solitary confinement after protesting the treatment of another inmate. In Lakan prison in Rasht, Hamzeh Darwish attempted suicide and was returned to prison despite needing further medical attention. Another case in Qazalhasar prison involved Reza Khazaei, who was beaten by prison officers and transferred to solitary confinement after exposing the prison’s dire conditions in a video. Meanwhile, Varishe Moradi and Paharhan Azizi, political detainees in Evin prison, initiated a hunger strike to protest Moradi’s transfer to Ward 209 and the delay in their court hearing. These incidents underscore the urgent need for improved conditions and fair treatment within Iran’s prison system.

Women 

The implementation of ‘Operation Noor’ has led to a significant increase in arrests and warnings related to improper hijab wear. In May alone, 602 women were arrested for violating hijab laws, and up until May 30,602 warnings were issued for improper hijab use. A notable incident occurred at Azad University Central Tehran Branch on May 26, where at least 100 students were forcibly detained for not adhering to mandatory hijab laws. They were released only after signing a commitment letter to comply with hijab rules, with some being allowed to leave only after changing their veils.

Aida Shakarami, the sister of deceased protester Nika Shakarami, has been formally charged with “inciting immorality and indecency” and “disobedience to officers.” Additionally, Zhina (Jina) Modarresi Gorji was sentenced to a total of 21 years in prison: ten years for “forming illegal groups aimed at overthrowing the regime,” ten years for “collaborating with hostile countries and groups,” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” These cases highlight the ongoing crackdown on dissent and the stringent enforcement of hijab laws in Iran.

Workers 

Workers in Iran face ongoing challenges and hazardous workplaces. In a tragic turn of events, this month saw 37 fatalities resulting from work-related accidents, with an additional 34 workers left injured. Moreover, 8345 workers reported unpaid wages spanning 67 months, while 4100 others were denied their insurance rights. Additionally, 3 businesses faced closure due to hijab violations, adding to the economic strain. 

Furthermore, workers continue to commit suicide due to dire financial constraints and the pressure placed on them by employers and city officials, which makes both their work and personal situations difficult. Additionally, trade activists continue to be summoned to court and sentenced for their activism. Mahmoud Beheshti Langroudi, a teachers union activist was summoned on the charge of ‘propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran”. He is being tried based on his instagram posts. 

Lastly, Kulbars (border couriers) continue to be killed and injured due to military activists at the border. Ajvan Kiani, was in a car when military officials, without warning, opened fire on the car. Mohammad Saran, Ghulam Sarani, and  Nabi Sarani, were all killed due to indiscriminate firing of military officials. This killing of border workers continues to be a significant issue in Iran, where border workers are often killed or injured due to military activities. This month 5 Kulbars were killed and 3 were injured.

International News Update:

On the 13th of May, Javaid Rehman, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran along with other UN experts are calling on Iran to revoke the death sentence imposed on anti-corruption activist Mahmoud Mehrabi and to stop sentencing people to death for expressing their opinions. Mehrabi was convicted on vague charges of “corruption on earth” related to his online activism on justice and corruption in Iran. The experts argue that critical views, even if expressed online, do not warrant the death penalty under international law. They express alarm over Iran’s use of severe punishments for freedom of expression, including death sentences and long-term prison terms, citing the recent case of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi. The experts emphasize that freedom of expression is fundamental to a free and democratic society and call for amendments to Iran’s Constitution and penal code to prohibit executions and commute all death sentences. They highlight the chilling effect Mehrabi’s arrest and sentencing have on freedom of expression in Iran, particularly in the wake of nationwide protests in 2022.

Additionally Australia has sanctioned five IRGC individuals and three entities for human rights violations, this includes Amir Hatami, Esmail Qaani, Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani, Rashid Gholam, Mehdi Gogerdchian

 Lastly, On the 30th of  May several UN Experts published a statement  about the violence and threats against journalists in Iran. The statement discusses the condemnation by UN experts of violence, threats, and intimidation against the Persian language news service Iran International and its journalists, staff, and owner, Volant Media UK Limited. The experts express deep concern over the escalation of such acts, culminating in the violent stabbing of journalist Pouria Zeraati outside his home in London. They highlight the broader pattern of repression against Persian language media services and the chilling effect these attacks may have on journalists both inside and outside Iran. The article also outlines instances of transnational repression targeting journalists reporting on Iran, including physical assaults and the imposition of travel and financial sanctions. The experts call on Iran to refrain from violence, threats, and intimidation against Iran International and other journalists reporting on Iran from abroad, urging investigation and prosecution of those responsible for such acts.

Download Full Pdf: Monthly Report May

HRANA – HRA’s Statistics Department has released its monthly report for April 2024, shedding light on a troubling escalation of human rights violations across Iran. The report reveals a disturbing total of 66 executions, a significant increase from previous months, with 56 men and 3 women among the victims. Of particular concern is the fact that 44 individuals were sentenced to death for drug-related offenses, a practice that contravenes international norms.

The case of protest rapper Toomaj Salehi has garnered widespread attention, as he received a death sentence for “spreading corruption on earth.” This decision has sparked outrage both within Iran and internationally, with many condemning the severity of the punishment and advocating for Salehi’s release.

Furthermore, the report highlights ongoing repression of freedom of expression, exemplified by the imprisonment of university students Hasti Amiri and Zia Naboi for their activism. Disruptions during cultural events, such as the Nowruz ceremony, and security confrontations in Kurdish regions underscore the government’s crackdown on dissent.

Women’s rights continue to be a cause for concern, with increased surveillance and arrests for non-compliance with hijab regulations under the Iranian police’s “Operation Noor.” Cases like the arrest of Aida Shakarami, sister of a protester killed in 2022, and the detention of Nafisa Latifian and Negar Abedzadeh further highlight the challenges women face in Iran.

Executions

This month in Iran, the execution of 66 individuals took place, comprising 56 men and 3 women. A total of 16 individuals were sentenced to death. Iran persists in executing individuals for offenses falling short of the standards outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Notably, there remains a consistent trend of individuals being executed for drug-related crimes, a practice in clear contravention of the right to life as stipulated by the ICCPR. This month, 44 people faced execution for drug-related offenses.

In a startling development, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan handed down a death sentence to protest rapper Toomaj Salehi for “spreading corruption on earth.” This decision sparked outcry, prompting over fifty civil and trade union activists in North Khorasan province to issue a statement condemning Salehi’s death sentence. They argued vehemently that composing and performing protest songs should not warrant capital punishment. The sentence has led to more public outcry, protests, and intense reactions on social media. A group of Iranian lawyers, non-Iranian lawyers and artists issued a statement condemning the death sentence issued for Tomaj Salehi, a protesting rapper, to draw global public attention to this “inhuman and unjust” sentence. A group of political prisoners, in an open letter, stated that the sentence was a ‘show of power’ by the government. Lastly, according to Toronto police, more than 8,000 demonstrators demanded the immediate cancellation of Tomaj Salehi’s death sentence and the cessation of enforcement against women regarding the hijab.

Freedom of Thought and Expression 

Iran continues to crackdown on anyone who protests or criticizes the regime, and continues to violate the right to freedom of expression and thought. This month two university students, Hasti Amiri and Zia Naboi, started serving their prison sentences. They were sentenced last year after protesting the serial poisoning of school students, they were both sentenced to a year for “propaganda against the regime”. 

On Friday, April 3rd, the Nowruz ceremony in Kale Jub village, Firozabad district, Kermanshah, encountered interruptions and remained incomplete, under the directive of the governor and in the presence of law enforcement. Simultaneously, media outlets reporting on Kurdish regions conveyed incidents of security confrontations during Nowruz celebrations in western areas of the nation, notably near Mehsa (Gina) Amini’s tomb in Saqez city. The IRGC also detained  Mohsen Ghader-Rash and Omid Ghader-Nejad for participating in the Nowruz celebration gathering.

Lastly, protestors who participated in the Women Life Freedom Protest that started in September 2022, continue to get sentenced for their participation. Ayoub Gheibipour was sentenced to 11 years in prison with the charge of “enmity against God (Moharebeh)” and  “propaganda against the regime.” Additionally, during his detention he was also denied medical care.

Women 

This month, the Iranian police announced a plan called ‘Operation Noor’, this plan includes increased surveillance and arrest for non-compliance with hijab rules. Additionally, the IRGC have also implemented a new surveillance body. The implementation of this plan has led to an increase in arrest and violent behavior towards women. Additionally, Aida Shakarami, the sister of Nika Shakarami who was killed by officials during the September 2022 protests, was recently arrested by Tehran’s Morality Police for non-compliance with hijab regulations. Nafisa Latifian and Negar Abedzadeh, the wife and daughter of  Iranian football veteran Ahmadreza Abedzadeh, were arrested in Tehran for not observing the “mandatory hijab”, they were released shortly after.  Lastly, Authorities in Bushehr Province have arrested seven women for sharing social media content related to modeling and photography.Their Instagram posts were removed, and electronic devices were confiscated.

Women continue to be sexually assaulted by officials after being arrested. Journalist Dina Ghalibaf shared on social media that she had been detained by police at a Tehran metro station for allegedly wearing an improper hijab. She described being taken to a room, where she endured electric shocks and sexual assault. This public account led to her arrest the next day by security forces. The whole ordeal was videoed and pictures were taken and published online.

Workers 

Workers in Iran face ongoing challenges and hazardous workplaces. In a tragic turn of events, this month saw 100 fatalities resulting from work-related accidents, with an additional 49  workers left injured. Moreover, concerning 2000 workers reported unpaid wages spanning 43 months, while 37000 others were denied their insurance rights. Additionally, 11 businesses faced closure due to hijab violations, adding to the economic strain. 

Given the context, HRANA News Agency has recently released three comprehensive reports, each delving into the challenges faced by Iranian workers. The first report presents a Statistical Analysis of Iranian Workers spanning from May 1, 2023, to April 27, 2024. Within this timeframe, a concerning 84,226 workers did not receive their paychecks, alongside witnessing 428 worker protests and 1,448 trade union demonstrations. The other report underscored the grim toll of unsafe working conditions, revealing that over the past year, at least 1,680 workers lost their lives and 8,199 were injured. The last report detailed the rise in casualties among cross-border laborers and fuel carriers, with 15 and 9 fatalities respectively, and a combined 152 injuries, primarily attributed to indiscriminate military shootings. The final report 

International News Update:

This month, significant attention was directed towards the human rights situation in Iran.  On 4 April 2024, the Human Rights Council voted to extend the International Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Iran’s mandate for an additional year through resolution 55/19. Additionally, this resolution also extends the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Iran. This resolution also calls for Iran to grant access to the country and provide all necessary information to both bodies. 

The US State Department released its 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for Iran on April 22nd. The report underscores grave human rights violations, such as unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, and instances of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. HRA contributed valuable insights to this report, revealing that authorities executed 37 percent more individuals compared to the previous year and exposing the staggering statistic that over 3,337 workers were owed a cumulative total of more than 262 months of backpay.

Lastly, the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Jeremy Laurence released a press statement regarding the new body created by the IRGC to enforce hijab regulations.He also expressed concerns regarding the Guardian Council’s near approval of the Supporting the Family by Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab bill, which would impose even more severe punishments for non compliance. Lastly, he also expressed concern regarding the sentence of rapper Toomaj Salehi, urging for the sentences to be overturned. 

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